Apparatus including tanged connector means for testing cable wires



Dec. 29, 5 C R I APPARATUS INCLUDING TANGED CONNECTOR MEANS FORTESTING CABLE WIRE Filed Feb. 1,. 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORZ JIIVIMY c. RAY FIG. 2 BY;

QC. I J- c Y APPARATUS INCLUDING TANGE ONNECTOR ANS IRE ME FOR TESTING CAB W- Filed Feb. 1, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2s 4 INVENTOR:

48 JIMMY C. RAY

Bee. 29, 197G J c RAY 3,551,803

APPARATUS INcLU'DIA' G TANGED CONNECTOR MEANS FOR TESTING CABLE WI E Filed Feb. 1, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 PAIR TO I| I cENTRAL oFFIcE LATERAL 4 72 14 IIC g9 V L72 [I 54 "L46 FIELD CENTRAL AMPLIFIER IPROBE I 1 LEAD OFFICE LEAD I" T2 I 5 PAIR I B SWITCH I I 84 9s I I 29II 'II I I i I 96 78 7 7 I RI [T 5 I I 94 A SIGNAL I I GENERATOR I l gea OFF I I AMPLIFIER I I OFF I I l I J FIG. 7

INvENToR:

JIMMY C. RAY

FIG. 8 K/% United States Patent US. Cl. 324-51 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wire from each of two communication cables to be spliced is inserted into a tanged connector. The tanged connector is one of many mounted in a block. The connectors each containing wire, are crimped by forcing each connector into a tapered hole, the plurality of tapered holes being located in a crimp block. Crimping the connector also cuts olf excess wire. The crimp block is left permanently attached to the connectors in the completed splice. The holes in the cramp block extend through the crimp block leaving the end of each connector exposed for future connections, which might be either to a third cable or to a test set. The future connection is made by telescoping a helical spring over a square pin.

A testing apparatus is provided with plugs so that the plug might be inserted onto the square pin, as described above. A switch in the test apparatus provides for connecting ear phones or signal generators or other testing apparatus onto any pair of wires within the cable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This invention relates to electrical connections and more particularly to cables carrying communications signals.

(2) Description of the prior art It is known to the art that two insulated wires may be spliced by inserting the wires into a tanged cup-shaped connector and the connector crimped onto the wires, the tangs piercing the insulation and making contact with the metal within the insulation. E.g., embodiments of US. 3,064,072 are commercially on the market. However, the crimping is done by side force upon the walls of the connector, as by squeezing with plier-like mechanism.

Also, it is known to the art that two cables can be connected by providing one with a plurality of male prongs and the other with a plurality of female sockets, plugging one into the other.

Further, it is recognized as acceptable practice to make a connection by wrapping bare wire around a square plug.

It is conventional practice of telephone repair men to test the lines at a splice by placing a test tone upon the line by a signal generator. Then the other end of the line may be identified by the reception of the particular frequency placed on the line. Furthermore, by taking voltage tests, and also by measuring capacitance, various conditions can be determined.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By this invention I provide a simple means and method of splicing cable, which is advantageous if the splice is never disturbed. However, it has many additional advantages in that at a later date, the splice itself acts as a plug connection whereby a test set may be plugged into the splice or another cable plugged into the splice.

This is accomplished by having a plurality of tanged connectors mounted into a block so that wires may be inserted into the connectors and then the connectors crimped with the tangs piercing the insulation and making contact with the wire inside. The connectors are crimped by forcing the connectors of the plug or connector block into a crimping block which has a tapered hole for each of the connectors.

A square spike or pin of metal extending from each of the connectors is normally enclosed in the crimping block. However, if it is necessary to make an electrical connection later, a bridge adapter having a helical coil for each of the spikes may be plugged into the end of the crimping block.

If the necessity ever arises to test or trace the wires, or bridge into the splice, it is adapted for a test set to be plugged into the splice. The set would have a lead wire for each of the connectors and a selector switch on the set for each wire. Therefore, all that would be necessary would be to plug into the splice and set the switch on any desired wire by number and then either test the continuity of the wire in the cable or put a tone signal upon the wire or whatever else was desired.

An object of this invention is to splice communication cables.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plug on the end of the splice of a cable so that another cable may be plugged into it or a test set plugged in.

A further object is to provide a test set, particularly adapted to be used with the above plugs.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is lightweight, sturdy, compact, durable, simple, safe, versatile, efficient and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture, install, operate, and maintain.

Still further objects are to achieve the above with a method that is rapid, efiicient and inexpensive and does not require skilled people to install, adjust, operate, and maintain.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof, will clearly appear from the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily to the same scale.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective, cutaway view showing internal construction of connector block, crimblock and adapter bridge. Although fifty-two connecto holes, etc., would be included in the actual equipment, only two of each have been illustrated for clarity.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a connector block.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the connector block and crimp block through one single connector with a wire before crimping and severing.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 after crimping and severing and with the addition of a coil of the adapter plug upon the connector.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the equipment as it would be used upon telephone cables and also including test set according to this invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a T connector according to this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT described, it will be understood that the inventive concept is the same regardless of number.

Connector block 12 has disc 14 made of insulating material (FIGS. 1-4). Connectors 16 are inserted within holes 18 that extend through the disc. On the face of the disc 14 the holes 18 are of smaller diameter than on the back of the disc forming shoulder 20 on which one end of the connector 16 rests (FIG. 3). The connector 16 is split by slit 22 so that the connector may be crimped with tangs 24 piercing the insulation and making electrical contact as is well known with this type of operation, (FIGS. 1, 3 and On the upper half of the connector 16, the end of the connector bends downward to form trimming edge 26. The trimming edge 26 is located on the end of the connector remote from the disc 14. The other side of the connector 16 away from the trimming edge 26 extends beyond the trimming edge. Therefore, when the connector is squeezed (explained later) the trimming edge contacts the other side of the connector and severs any wire 34 extending through the connector 16 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Square pin or spike of metal 28 on the lower half of the connector 16 extends beyond the trimming edge 26. Two wires 34 are inserted through the hole 18 and through the connector 16. Upon crimping the connector, the trimming edge 26 severs the wires and the tangs 24 make electrical contact therewith.

Crimping block 30 of insulating material has a tapered hole 32 extending therethrough for each of the connectors 16. Each hole is tapered with the large end toward the disc 14 and the small end remote therefrom. The connectors 16 on the block 12 are partially inserted into the crimping block 30 before the individual wires 34 are inserted into the connector 16 (FIG. 3). Therefore, the wires extend beyond end 36 of the crimping block 30. After all of the wires 34 are inserted into the connector block 12, the connector block and crimping block 30 are pushed or forced together. As the blocks are pushed together, the connectors 16 are pushed into the tapered holes 32 and crimped. Central hole 38 extends through disc 14 of the connector block and central hole 40 extends through the center or along the axis of the crimp block 30.

One method of pushing the blocks together is a threaded bolt extending through this hole and through a threaded nut which draws the two blocks together to effect the crimp. Therefore, by placing a pair of wires into each connector, twenty-six pairs of wire are speedily spliced together. A peripheral metal band around the block 30 for structural strength is not shown for simplicity.

Under many circumstances, once the two cables are spliced together, this will be the end of the matter. However, if at some future date it is desired to inspect or test the cables or the splice, bridge adapter 46 is plugged into the end 36 of the crimp block 30. The bridge adapter has a helical spring or wire coil 48 embedded in insulating disc 52 for each of the connectors 16. The square spike or pin 28 has sharp longitudinal edges 50 (FIG. 6). When each of the pins 28 are forced into each of the coils 48, the sharp edges 50 form a good electrical contact with the coils 48. Inasmuch as the pins 28 are a portion of the connectors 16, they have electrical contact therewith. Also, the spike 28 extends or strains the coil 48 so that each arc of the coil 48 between edges 50 is stretched or strained, thus maintaining the contact without movement regardless of temperature changes and thermal expansion. Also the tapered hole 32 is enlarged and belled outward at 42 which is the outlet near end 36. Also the spring or coil 48 is belled outward at 44 so that each of the group of springs are readily fitted to each of the group pins and telescoped over them smoothly and evenly. The pins 28 themselves are pointed or beveled at 43 on the end so they fit into the coil 48 (FIG. 3).

After the adapter 46 is attached, an additional plug having pins may be attached to the coils 48 where they extend to the other side of insulating disc 52 of the adapter 46. The additional pins may be on another Splice joint having connector block 12 and crimp block 4 30, or the additional pins may be upon end of lead cable 54 of test set 56.

The additional spikes or pins could be square pins 58 upon either one of the three ends of a T connection 60 (FIG. 8). The T connection is shown only schematically inasmuch as its construction is rather simple. It would have fifty-two pins upon each of three faces 64, 66 and 68, and these pins would correspond to the location of the springs or coils 48 upon the bridge adapter 46. It will be noted that the coils upon the bridge adapter 46 have a relationship and could be numbered to correlate with the holes in the block connector 12. Also, it will be noted that the holes in the block connector 12, which are paired and each pair carry an indices from 1 to 26. Furthermore, the hole 38 has been key-slotted at 62 so that the connector will not be reversed with the bridge adapter 46, which also has the key-slot 62 through it. The pins 58 of the T connector 60 are connected together in order. I.e., there is a pair of pins which would have a designation 1 (one) on face 64, each of which would be connected to each of the pair of pins having the designation 1 on face 66 and also upon the third face 68.

The test set 56 has two fifty-two-wire leads, the central-ofiice lead 54 and field-lead 70 (FIG. 7). Each of these leads terminate with a lead plug 72 which has fiftytwo pins adapted to be plugged into adapter bridge 46. In the schematic diagram these are shown spaced from the bridge adapters 46, but it will be understood that they could be plugged into one or the other, ar also be understood that the crimp block 30- attached to lateral cable 74 could be plugged into the plug 72 of field-lead 70 rather than into the T connector 60 as illustrated.

Central ofiice lead 54 is connected to a fifty-two-wire switch 75 in the test set 56. This labeled on the schematic as a fifty-wire switch because generally the groups are thought of as carrying twenty-five circuits, each circuit including a pair of wires. Although there is an extra pair, this is considered a spare and would be classed as a fiftywire switch, but there would be fifty-two positions for the fifty-two wires. With the fifty-wire switch 75, it is possible to connect any single wire from lead cable 54 to signal generator 76 through signal generator switch 78. Also, five-pair switch 80 connects telephone headset 82 to five pairs of wires in the central office lead 54. Normally these will be pairs 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25. Normally one of these five pairs will not be in use and will be available for the technician to use to talk on while testing the remainder of the wires. By use of the switch 80, the headset 82 may be connected to any one of these five pairs of wire.

Therefore, with the equipment described so far in the test set 56, signal generator 76 may be connected to any one of the fifty-two wires to put a signal (often a fifteen kilocycle hum) on any one of the fifty-two wires which are connected to central ofiice lead 54.

The field lead 70 is likewise connected in the test set 56 to a fifty-wire switch 84 by which any of the individual wires of the field lead 70 may be connected through this switch 84 to amplifier 86, also through the amplifier switch '88. If the amplifier switch 88 is closed, a signal as produced by signal generator 76 may be detected by rotating the switch 84 to each of its fifty-two positions and when the switch 84 is in the position indicating the wire having the signal produced by signal generator 56 upon it, indication will be given by meter 90, the amplifier being connected to the meter 90. Those skilled in the art will understand the purpose of such test and also the improvement in such a test of rather than using an amplifier probe 92 to probe among the bundle of wires from say group 11, picking out the wire which has the signal thereon. However, an amplifier probe 92 is connected to the amplifier 86 to increase the versatility of the test set 56.

In addition, the test set has a switch 94 which connects meter 90 to any one of the wires of lead 70' to switch 84. By the use of this switch 96, ring and tip test can be performed upon each of the wires of the cable connected to lead 70. Ring and tip test are conventional and known to those skilled in the art and will not be further discussed here. Also, any of the wires of the central ofiice lead 72 may be connected into meter 90 by switch 96 so that the conventional indication of busy, idle or bad, may be obtained. As stated, tests sets are known having meters such as 90 with amplifiers such as 86 for individual tests. The test set 56 carries sufiicient batteries (not shown) to power the equipment contained therewith as well as the telephone set 82.

Bridge switch 98 connects lead 54 to lead 70. By the use of the bridge switch, all fifty-two wires in the two leads may be connected together. Therefore, if two groups of wires such as 11a, which is a part of the cable 10 going to the central oflice and 11, a group of wires in the new or lateral cable 74 going to the field, are to be connected together, they may first be bridged together in the test set before they are bridged together outside of the test set. E.g., in the operation of the test set, the central ofiice lead cable 54 could be plugged into the bridge adapter 46 of cable 11a before T connector 60 was connected in as illustrated in the drawing. Therefore, by the use of the head phones 82 and signal generator 76 each of the wires could be readily identified by the numbers. Also, field lead 70 could be plugged into group 110 by bridge adapter 46 and a test made on each of the wires therein. The two cables 11a and 11c could be bridged together by bridge switch 98 prior to the final connection being made by physically plugging both of the groups 11a and 11c into the same T connector 60.

It will be apparent that the embodiment shown is only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in operation, construction, materials and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An apparatus for testing a communication cable having a plurality of insulated wires comprising:

(a) a first set of lead wires having a lead wire for each insulated wire of the cable,

(b) plug means at least partially on the lead wires for connecting each lead wire to one of said insulated wires,

(c) test means in the apparatus for testing said insulated wires individually,

(d) lead switch means in the apparatus for connecting each of said lead wires to said test means, said plug means including,

(e) a connector block having a plurality of connectors,

(f) each connector in a tapered hole in the connector block,

(g) each connector having at least one of said insulated wires therein,

(h) each connector having tangs pierced through the insulation of the Wire,

(j) a lead block having a plurality of lead connectors,

and

(k) means for connecting each connector of the connector block to a connector of the lead block.

2. An apparatus for testing a communication cable having a plurality of insulated wires comprising:

(a) a first set of lead wires having a lead wire for each insulated wire of the cable,

(b) plug means at least partially on the lead wires for connecting each lead wire to one of said insulated wires,

(0) test means in the apparatus for testing said insulated wires individually,

(d) lead switch means in the apparatus for connecting each of said lead wires to said test means, said plug means including,

(e) a connector block having a plurality of connectors therein,

(f) each connector having at least one of said insulated wires therein,

(g) each connector having tangs pierced through the insulation of the wire,

(h) cutter means on the end of each connector for severing the wires when the connector is crimped upon said wire,

(j) [adlead block having a plurality of lead connectors,

(k) means for connecting each connector of the connector block to a connector of the lead block.

3. An apparatus for testing a communication cable having a plurality of insulated wires comprising:

(a) a first set of lead wires having a lead wire for each insulated wire of the cable,

(b) plug means at least partially on the lead wires for connecting each lead wire to one of said insulated wlres,

(0) test means in the apparatus for testing said insulated wires individually,

(d) lead switch means in the apparatus for connecting each of said lead wires to said test means, said plug including,

(e) a connector block having a plurality of connectors therein,

(f) each connector having at least one of said insulated wires therein,

(g) each connector having a pin with sharp longitudinal edges,

(h) a lead block having a plurality of lead connectors,

(j) a helical coil attached to each lead connector,

(k) said pin telescoped within said coil with the sharp longitudinal edges of the pin forming a good electrical contact with the coil.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,852,737 9/ 1958 Wheeler 324-66X 3,197,695 7/ 1965 Wingfield 3245 1 3,217,244 11/1965 Glover 324-51 G. R. STRECKER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

